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under their control on all questions including if
they like, *immediate alteration" of existing
treaties. This of course means recognition in
fact. All this provided only that Southern
government for their part (a) declare officially
that existing treaties and engagements stand until
altered by negotiation (see Chen's own wording of
proposed counter declaration by Southern govern-
ment my telegram No. 7 from Henkow;) and (b) that
they undertake to put a stop pending negotiations
to present anti-British agitation.
3. Having got so far we would then if pressed
state our readiness to discuss at once general
principles only of treaty revision. If Chen
wished to get to immediate business and to go into
details we should have to put brake on as far £8
possible. I should of course have to go down
to Hankow myself for the purpose if I had not
already done so. I do not believe however that
the Southern government are technically equipped
for taking up detailed negotiations at once;; and
we might then be able to spin things out a bit
which would be all to the good so long as we can
do so decently and without bad faith,
4.
This naturally pre-supposes that we are
clear in our own minds how far we can go if we
have in fact to get down to actual revision.
this I will submit recomendations as soon ac
possible.
On
5/
!
G.P.0.
rade